Cornerback
No. 20
Fisk
"A real surprise for the Bills, who, in turn, were a surprise on pass defense because of him. James had only one interception for the season but played strong as the Bills finished seventh overall among all NFL teams on pass defense. His one steal, however, preserved Buffalo's exciting 24-17 upset of the Washington Redskins. He bumps and runs with the best cornerbacks in the game.
James went to the Bills as a free agent in 1969, first playing with the special teams. In 1970 he started at the corner and in 1971 intercepted four passes to lead the team. He reached his peak in 1972 when he was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl. He's the first player from Fisk to start in the pros."
-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition
No. 20
Fisk
"A real surprise for the Bills, who, in turn, were a surprise on pass defense because of him. James had only one interception for the season but played strong as the Bills finished seventh overall among all NFL teams on pass defense. His one steal, however, preserved Buffalo's exciting 24-17 upset of the Washington Redskins. He bumps and runs with the best cornerbacks in the game.
James went to the Bills as a free agent in 1969, first playing with the special teams. In 1970 he started at the corner and in 1971 intercepted four passes to lead the team. He reached his peak in 1972 when he was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl. He's the first player from Fisk to start in the pros."
-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition
"Selected for the AFC's Pro Bowl squad in 1972, Bob is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the NFL. An aggressive tackler, he excels in man-to-man coverage."
-1973 Topps No. 120
DWIGHT HARRISON
Cornerback-Wide Receiver
No. 28
Texas A&I
A second-round draft choice of the Denver Broncos in 1971, Dwight was acquired by the Bills in exchange for Haven Moses during the 1972 season. This year he makes the switch from wide receiver to cornerback.
Dwight excelled at both positions at Texas A&I and was named Flanker of the Decade in the Lone Star conference. A track standout, he once ran the 100-yard dash in 9.5 seconds.
JOHN PITTS
Strong Safety
No. 48
Arizona State
"Possessed with excellent size (6-4, 215) and good speed, John enters his sixth year as the Bills' strong safety. His rookie year of 1967 was spent as a receiver."
-1973 Topps No. 178
ERNIE KELLERMAN
Strong Safety
No. 24
Miami-Ohio
"His entrance into the pros was obscure, but Ernie Kellerman made up for it with a splashy rookie campaign. Drafted 12th by the Dallas Cowboys in 1965, he was one of the last players they cut before the season opened. The Browns signed him as a free agent and carried him on the cab squad for that season. Then, last year, he got a trial at strong safety and won the job.
He was a tenacious defender who added needed speed to the secondary, and he showed a healthy appetite for tackling. Ernie made three interceptions and now the Browns feel he can only improve.
A six-footer weighing 183 pounds, he was a left-handed quarterback at Miami of Ohio."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1967
"Determined, aggressive, steady and hard working, Ernie is extremely versatile and can be used as a strong-side safety or as a cornerback by the well-knit Cleveland defensive squad.
Ernie was a quarterback in college."
-1969 Topps No. 96
"A fine southpaw quarterback at Miami of Ohio, Ernie made All-Mid-America Conference three straight seasons and received honorable mention in 1963 and 1964 on several All-America squads. He set many school and conference records as a roll-out passer. Ernie threw an 88-yard touchdown pass that enabled Miami to upset Purdue, 10-7, in 1962, in the game voted as 'Upset of the Year' by one of the national wire services.
Ernie played defense for only three plays in his college career but was pressed into defensive duty with the Browns in 1966 due to another player's injury. He's a smart, alert tactician and calls most of the team's 'forces' for defensive backs and linebackers on opponents' sweeps.
Ernie is the only member of the Brown who's a native of Cleveland."
-1971 Topps No. 7
"Rated as one of the Brown's more dependable tacklers, Ernie is a totally dedicated player. Signed by the Browns as a free agent in 1965, he stepped in at safety in a switch caused by Walter Beach's injury and has been there since 1966.
Ernie was a left-handed quarterback in college."
-1972 Topps No. 162
TONY GREENE
Free Safety
No. 43
Maryland
Tony led the Atlantic Coast Conference in interceptions as a junior and was team captain as a senior. His time of 9.5 in the 100-yard dash is a Maryland record. Tony won a starting job for the Bills in 1972 after being used mostly on special teams as a rookie.
ALVIN WYATT
Defensive Back-Kick Returner
No. 41
"Competitive spirit and willingness to learn made Alvin a valuable addition to the Bills in 1971. Acquired from the Raiders, he led the Bills in both kickoff and punt returns in 1972."
-1973 Topps No. 362
No comments:
Post a Comment